09-THE CAT'S EAR

THE CAT'S EAR I stared out the window of our prison cell in the Cat's Ear. The cats were lowering the sails so they could change direction. "Rotten, stinking cats!" I muttered, gripping the bars with my paws. "Holey cheese! I don't want to end up in a pot to be cooked by that sleazy Slobberface," sobbed my cousin. "I don't even like PEPPER. It makes my fur break out in hives." He sniffled, then blew his nose loudly into a big yellow handkerchief with red dots. Benjamin grabbed the sleeve of my jacket. "Uncle, I think maybe—" he began.

"Benjamin, please, we'll talk about it later," I said. I patted him on the head. "Auntie, I think maybe —" my nephew tried, pulling my sister's paw. "Benjamin, be a good mouse! Can't you see we're talking about serious matters?" said Thea. "Why don't you go play with some fur

balls or something," suggested Trap. "But I have a plan!" squeaked Benjamin, annoyed. "A plaaaan?" we cried. "Why didn't you say so?" said Trap. Benjamin sighed. "Well, I got this plan from a book I read. It's called SCRAM! MY LIFE ON THE RUN by Fearless Frank the Adventure Mouse," he explained. "Fearless Frank was stuck in a prison cell just like this one. He tied a rope to one of the bars and hung outside the window. When the jailer found the cell empty, he ran off to get help. Fearless Frank climbed back into the cell and escaped through the open door." Trap scratched his head. "But how are we going to fit through the bars?" he asked. "We'll need to cut through them somehow."

Benjamin began to dig through his pockets. He pulled out three sticks of cheddar-flavored bubble gum, a glow-in-the-dark yo-yo, and ... a Swiss army knife! He opened it, and a small file popped out. "Do you remember this, Uncle Geronimo? You gave it to me for my birthday. I take it with me wherever I go," squeaked my nephew. "This is great!" shouted Trap. "We'll take turns filing the bars," said Thea. "One of us will have to keep watch. But ... what about the noise?" She twirled her whiskers, deep in thought. Two minutes later, my sister jumped up, clapping her paws. "I've got it!' she cried. "We will sing!"